Method of and machine for manufacturing boxes



Aug- 2, 1938. uw.;DIETWWN- 2,125,430

l METHOD OF'AND MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING BOXES fa zofy 21am/fvwm .'Aug. 2, 1938. l f P. w. DIETM'ANN 2,125,430

METHOD 0F AND MCHI-NE FOR MANUFACTURINGBOXES Filed may 7, 1956 s sheets-sheet 2 Allg 2, 1938. P. w. DIETMANN 2,125,430

METHOD OF'AND MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING BOXES Filed nay 7, 19:56 s sheets-sheet s Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNITED STATES METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MANUFAC- TURING BOXES Paul Wilhelm Dietmann, Jenkoping, Sweden, as-

signor to Aktiebolaget Siefvert & Fornander,

Kalmar, Sweden Application May 7, 1936, Serial No. 78,496 In Sweden May 9, 1935 16 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of boxes of paper, cardboard or the like, and more especially open-ended boxes or box parts having `one or more of their walls reinforced by inturned extensions of the material of which the bodies of the boxes are composed.

One of the objects .of this invention is the provision of an eflicient'method of making boxes of the kind referred to which shall be of a relalO tively perfect or finished character.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a practical method of folding and shaping previously formed box-blanks.

` Another object of the invention is the provi- 'i sion 4of a method of treating the folded boxblanks in a series of successive steps including the applications of external pressure to the reinforced walls of a box during the setting of the adhesive applied thereto. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of simple and improved construction, and operating automatically for rapidly and effectively shaping blanks of cardboard or the like to form open-ended boxes or box parts.

A further and more particular object of the invention is to provide, in a machine of the class mentioned, an improved and effective mechanism for holding and pressing the folded boxes so as to insure effective union of contiguous parts of the box-Walls.

Another object is to devise a simple, improved arrangement for turning in the reinforcing extensions projecting from a partially formed box, thereby completing the folding of the box-blank.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated by way of examples in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a 4box- Inaking machine according to the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line II-,II of Figure l, and Figure 3 is a front view on an enlarged scale of part of the machine shown in Figures l and Y2. Figures 4 and 5 show a box blank in two different stages of the folding operation.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 7 which is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the conveyer With O holders land `appendant pressing members.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line VIII-V111 of Figure `9 which is a side-view, partly in section, of a third embodiment of the conveyor.

The machine shown in Figures 1-3 is primarily adapted for making boxes of blanks of the figuration shown in Figure 4, said .blanks comprising a rectangular bottom portion I and portions 2, 2 and '3, 3 coherent to the long and short sides, respectively, of the bottom portion, the portions 2, 2 being two-ply and provided with lateral flaps Il adapted to form the corners of the box. Such box blanks may be produced from a continuous web in a manner forming no part of the present invention. The various parts of the machine are supported by two side-frames 5, 6 interconnected by cross-beams l, 8, 9 and IIJ. Carried by the cross-beams l and 8 is a folding table II having three openings I2 provided therein corresponding in shape to the bottoms I of the boxes and located alongside of one another in the transverse direction of the machine. Mounted on the top of the table II along opposite sides of the openings I2 are pairs of lengthened plates I3, each pair serving as a feed path for the box blanks that rest upon the plates with their long side portions 2, 2. Extending over the row of openings I2 is a beam I5r carrying, opposite each opening, a folding plunger "I4, corresponding in shape to that of the opening. The beam I5 is carried .by two vertically movable slides I6, I6, slidably mounted in the side-frames 5, 6 and each carrying at its lower end a pin or roller I'I, embraced by the forked end of an arm I9 rlxed to a shaft I8. Rigidly secured to said shaft is also an arm 20, carrying at its free end a roller 2 I, running in a cam slot of a cam disc 22 mounted on a continuously `rotating cam shaft 23 journalled in the side-frames. Fixed to `said cam shaft outside the side-frames 5, 6, are two further cam discs 24 and 25, respectively, each cooperating with a roller 26 carried at one end of a two-armed lever 2'I mounted to swing in a vertical plane parallel to the beam I5. At their opposite, upper ends the levers 21 are forked, each forked end embracing a bolt 28 rigidly connecting two guide-rods 29, 29 and 30, 30, respectively, located one at each side of the beam I5 and mounted to slide in the longitudinal direction thereof. Fixed to each of the guide-rods 29, 30 are three folding fingers 3| -cand 32, respectively, projecting with their lower ends .into grooves provided in the plates I3 and the table II and extending parallel to the guiderods. v

A shaft 33, journalled in the side-frames 5, '6, extends parallel to the row of openings I2 right below the same. Fixed to that shaft opposite each of the openings is a drum 34 having twelve openings or cells 35 radially disposed at the circumference of the ldrum and corresponding in shape to the openings I2. Fixed to the shaft 33 is also a gear 36, meshing with a gear 3'I mounted for free rotation on a stub shaft 38 supported rigidly in the side-frame 6. Fixed to the gear 31 is a six-armed Geneva movement driven member 39 positively controlled by a driving member 46 mounted on a transmission shaft 4 I. By means of gears 42, 43 this shaft is operatively connected with a main shaft 44, adapted to rotate continuously in a clock-wise direction (Figure 1). By means of further gears 45, 46 the main shaft 44 is operatively connected also to the cam shaft 23 above referred to, the ratio of the various gears being such that the cam shaft 23 performs one revolution and the drum shaft 33 a twelfth of a revolution upon each two revolutions of the main shaft 44. The cells 35 are thus caused to occupy successively a receiving position right below the openings I2. R'ecesses 4l in the under side of the table II extend from each of the openings I2 in the direction of movement of the cells 35.

By means of gears 4B, 49 the drum shaft 33 is operatively connected to a shaft 56 extending parallel to the shaft 33 and carrying a sprocket- Wheel I opposite each of the drums 34. Driven by said sprocket-Wheels are three conveyerchains 52 supported by corresponding wheels on an upper shaft not shown in the drawings, said shaft being suitably mounted in standards 53 mounted on the side-frames 5, 6. Every other link 54 of the conveyer-chains conforms in shape to the internal dimensions of the boxes to be manufactured, and between each two adjacent holders or links 54 a presser plate 55 is suitably mounted on the chain so that it will be pressed againstthe boxes carried by adjacent holders when the chain is straightened. The movement of the sprocket-wheels 5I is such that the chains are moved stepwise in a clock-wise direction, one of their holders occupying a vertical receiving position opposite a cell 35 when the chains are at rest. Extending parallel to the drum-shaft 33 close to the circumference of the drums 34 is a stationary folding plate 56 located with one of its edges in the proximity of the transfer position between the drums 34 and the chains 52 wherein the cells and the holders face one another. In its opposite edge facing the direction of movement of the cells the plate 56 is provided with recesses 57 for the free passage of three rotatable folding members 59 mounted on a shaft 58 and each positioned opposite one of the drums 34. By means of gears 60, 6I the shaft 58 is operatively connected to a sprocket-wheel 62 driven, by means of an endless chain not shown in the drawings, from a sprocket-wheel 53 on the shaft 4I, so that upon each forward step of the drums 34 the shaft 58 is caused to turn one revolution in .a clockwise direction (Figure l) Located within each drum oppositethe delivery position of the cells adjacent the conveyers 52 is apusher 64 corresponding in shape to the cells, said pushers being supported by arms 66 fixed to a shaft 65. Carried by one of said arms is a roller 6l engaging in a slot in one side of the cam-disk 22 adapted to impart to the arms 56 a swinging motion in timed relation to the movement of the drums 34, so that the pushers 64 are moved into and out of the cells at each time the drums are at a stand-still.

Arms 68 are located at opposite sides of each chain 52, as best shown in Figure 3, said arms being pivotally mounted on a cross-beam 69 carried by the'standards 53. Carried at the free end bf each of the arms is a roller '10, and the arms are connected in pairs by draw-springs 1I, pressing the rollers against opposite sides of the chains.

This additional press device is primarily intended Y for use in case the side-walls 2, as shown in Figure 4, consist of two coherent layers to be fixed by means of glue or another adhesive.

When the chains 52 are at rest one of the holders of each chain will occupy a delivery position vertically below the shaft 50 where it is embraced by two stripping-claws 72, l2. 'I2 are mounted on a bar 'i3 carried by two vertically movacle slides 74', 'I4 mounted in the sideframes 5, 6. Each of these slides carries a pin 15, embraced by the forked end of an arm 'l1 loosely mounted on a shaft '16. Rigidly connected to said arm is a second arm 'I8 extending along one of the swinging arms 66 and having a pivoted connection 'I9 therewith, so that the slides I4 together with the stripping'claws l2 are alternately raised and lowered in timed relation to the swinging motion of the arms 66. Located beneath each of the holders 54, when in their delivery position, is a chute 86 mounted on the crossbeam 9. A pusher-plate 8l resting with one end upon the bottom of the chute is, at its other end, hingedly connected to a crossbar 82 mounted on an arm 83 loosely mounted on the shaft 65. Carried by said arm is a roller 84 engaging in a slot in a cam disk 85 by which a swinging motion is imparted to said arm.

The operation of the machine shown in Figres l-B is as follows: While the folding plungers I4 are in their raised positions shown in the drawings and the fingers 3I, 32 occupy a position laterally of the plates I3, three box blanks are, by any suitable means not shown in the drawings, advanced to positions above the openings l2. At the succeeding downward movement of the plungers I4, taking place in twovsteps, the under side of the plungers will engage the bottomportions I of the blanks, said blanks being, by the rst step, forced downwardly between the plates I3 until in flush with the top of the table, whereby the side-walls 2 with lateral flaps 4 are folded upwards to assume a vertical position. Through the action of the cam disks 24, the guide-rods 29 and 39 are now moved in opposite directions towards one another, the lateral flaps 4 being engaged by the fingers 3I and 32 and caused to assume a position at right angles to the side-walls 2. At the subsequent second step of the folding plungers I4 the box blanks are first forced through the openings I2 and are thereafter placed into the opposite cells in which they are held by friction. By the action of the edges of the openings I2 the end-walls 3 have simultaneously been folded upwardly to a vertical position, so that the box blanks placed in the cells will have the box-like shape shown in Figure 5. However, the folding of the box blanks is not yet completed, the end-walls 3 being provided with upstanding flaps 3a,` provided with glue upon their surfaces facing one another and adapted to be folded downwardly upon the lateral flaps 4. By suitable means, acting, for instance, upon the upper edges of the side-walls 2, the boxes are prevented from escaping together with the plungers when the latter resume their upper positions and the guides 29, 35 are retracted to their positions shown in the drawings.

After the return movement of the plungers I4 the drums 34 are rotated one step in the counterclockwise direction, the recesses 4'! leaving free passage for the projecting flaps 3a.. By the step- The claws i wise movement of the drums thecells 35 thereof are successively brought to the rreceiving position opposite the openings I2 to receive, in their turn, box blanks folded to the shape of a box and the boxes thus received are gradually brought to the proximity of the folding-plate 56 which is located in the'path of travel of the flaps 3a. The foremost flap of each box Vwill consequently strike against said plate,l by which it is forced to assume a position substantially parallel to the bottomvof the box. Before being advanced so far that the folding-plate would strike also against the rear flap, this flap is struck from behind by the rotatable folding member 59 by which it is folded downwards to a position substantially parallel to the bottom of the box and is maintained in this position until, due to the movement of the box, it enters under the plate 56, by which it is then maintained in the folded position. During the subsequent movement of the box towards the transfer position opposite a holder 54 the flaps are, by engagement with said holder, prevented from resuming an uprightk position due to the elasticity of the box-material. When the arms 55 are hereafter swung to the right, Figure l, the pushers 55 will act upon the bottoms of the boxes so that the latter are forced out of the cells andare each slid on to a holder 54, the flaps 5a being thereby folded downwards upon the lateral flaps ll. By the succeeding movement of the drums 34, serving as transfer means, and of the chains 52, succeeding cells 35 and holders 55 are brought into juxtaposition, and simulta- .eously the holders furnished with boxes enter a straightened part of the course of travel of the chains. By the straightening of the chains the pressing plates 55 are caused to engage the endwalls 3 of the boxes which will, consequently, be subjected to a pressing action between the holders and adjacent presser-plates, and this pressing action will obviously last as long as the boxes are in a straight part of the course of travel of the chains. By this pressing action, the duration of which may be determined at will by suitably choosing the length of the chains, the different layers of the end-walls are firmly held in contact with one another during the coagulation of the glue, and said pressing action also improves the shape given to the boxes by the preceding folding operations. If the pressing plates be made resilient or exchangeable for similar plates of different dimensions in the directionl of the chains their pressing action will be mantained irrespective. of the thickness of the walls of the boxes. After having passed round the upper turning wheels, notV shown in the drawings, the holders, carrying boxes, pass between the rollers 'lll by which the twofold side-walls 2 of the boxesar'e pressed against the holders, thereby securing binding also between the layers of these walls.

Arriving at the curved course round the sprockets 5| the pressing plates 55 are automatically moved from engagement with the end-walls of the boxes so that the pressing action ceases. When the holders arrive at the delivery position below the shaft, the bar '|3 is in its raised position but is thereafter lowered so that the boxes carried by the holders are stripped off the holders by the stripping claws l2 and drop down onto the chutes Bil. The bar is then immediately raised, whereupon the chains are advanced a further step and the sequence of operations previously described is repeated. By the pushingplates 8| the finished boxes are successively advanced in the chutes 80.

Also in the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7 the holders 541 constitute alternate links of an endless chain 521, mounted on a sprocket 561 and a turning wheel 5|a, and the boxes are to be slid on to and stripped off from the holders when the latter are in the curved part of the chain, determined by the sprocket 5|1. However the holders are here designed to directly, without the mediation of special pressing? plates, clamp the opposite walls of the boxes when in the straight portions of the course of travel located between the wheels 5|1 and 5la. For the purpose of pressing the boxes also in the transverse direction of the row of holders two pressbars 95, 9| are provided, one at each side of the path of travel of the holders, said press-bars being hingedly connected to stationary journalled arms 92. The bars 90 as well as the bars 9| are rigidly connected to one another by cross-pieces 93 and 54, respectively, connected by drawsprings 95 by which the bars are operated upon in a direction towards the chain 521. Each of the lower cross-pieces 93, 94 carries a roller 95, said rollers engaging a cam 8'! fixed to a rotatable shaft 98 journalled in standards 531, one of which only is shown in the drawings. By the action of cam 97 the bars 90, 9| are raised and, consequently, also swung from the chain 521 and the boxes carried thereby before each forward movement of the chain, and are thereafter lowered towards the same under the inuence of the springs 95. By this arrangement the boxes will, consequently, be subjected to an intermittent pressing in the transverse direction of the holder-row for a considerable period of time and not only momentarily, as in the embodiment shown in Figures 13.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 8 and 9 the pressing action is not due to the streightening the convcyer, as was the case in the two embodiments previously described, and no pressure will, consequently, be exerted in the longitudinal direction of the row of holders. The holder blocks 5511 constitute alternate links of an endless chain 5211, mounted on a sprocket wheel 5|11 fixed to the shaft 5911 and on a turning wheel not shown in the drawings. Carried by each holder are two opposite presser-plates |05 mounted to swing about pins llll and operated upon towards one another by a draw-spring |02 mounted in the holder. An elongation |53 of each plate |60 carries a roller |04 situated in the path of travel of disks |55 fixed to the sprocket wheel 5|11 at opposite sides thereof and having out-turned curved edges. By said disks the presser-plates are held in the open position shown in Figure 8 during the passage of the holders round the sprocket wheel, permitting the boxes to be mounted on and stripped off the holders. While the latter are in the remaining part of their course of travel the presser-plates |05 are in contact with the side-walls IE5 of the boxes under the pressure from the springs |52. In case also the rest of the walls are to be pressed it will, of course, be possible also in this embodiment to provide the chain with pressing plates 55 between the holders.

Also other embodiments of the conveyer with appendant box holding and pressing means will be possible within the scope of the invention which is applicable also in the manufacture of boxes from other types of box blanks than the one described and shown by way of example. Evidently,

the machine may be modified also in various' 1. A method of making open boxes from corner-cut blanks having side-portions and extensions integral with some of said portions, comprising the steps of forming a blank into trayshape by folding up the side-portions thereof, turning inwardly the upstanding extensions, folding down said extensions by sliding the box 0n to a holder corresponding in shape to the interior of the box, and pressing the two-fold sidewalls thus produced against the box supporting holder.

2. In a box-making machine, the provision of an endless conveyer having a plurality of holders each shaped to fit the interior of aV box, the said holders being so arranged on the travelling conveyer, thatthe boxes may be slid on to the holders when these are in a curved part of the course of travel of the conveyer, whereas their side-walls positioned between adjacent holders are clamped by the holders when entering a straighter part of the course.

` 3. In a box-making machine, the provision of an endless conveyer chain having a plurality of holder blocks corresponding in shape to the interior of the boxes and forming links of said conveyer chain, the arrangement of the holder blocks being such that the boxes may be slid on to the holders when these are a curved part of the course of travel of the conveyer, whereas their side-walls positioned between adjacent holders are clamped by the holders when entering a straighter part of the course.

4. In a box-making machine according to claim 3, the provision of a special pressing member between each pair of adjacent holder blocks of the conveyer chain.

5. In a box-making machine, the combination of a movable box transfer device having pockets provided therein for the boxes, a conveyer movable in timed relation to said transfer device and having a plurality of holders arranged in a row in the direction of travel of the conveyer and each shaped to t the interior of a box, means for suceessively removing the boxes from said pockets and sliding them on to said holders, and means at the sides of the path of travel of the holders for effecting a pressing upon the boxes in the transverse direction of the row of holders.

6. In a box-making machine, the combination set forth in claim 5, and wherein the pressingmeans disposed laterally of the path of travel of the holders comprise rollers resiliently pressing against opposite side-walls of the boxes and preferably carried by stationarily mounted pivotarms.

7. A box-making machine, comprising in combination a box folding mechanism, an endless cellular carrier adapted to receive in its cells the boxes delivered from said folding mechanism, a series of holder blocks corresponding in yshape to the interior of the boxes and interconnected to an endless chain located close by said carrier with a curved part of its course of travel, and a reciprocating pusher adapted to engage the outer side of the bottom of the boxes contained in the cells so as to expel the same from the cells and slide them on to adjacent holder blocks, the carrier and the conveyer chain being movable in timed relation to one another so as to coincide with their cells and holders, respectively, at one location in their course of travel, and the holder blocks being so arrangedV that the boxes may be slid on to the holder blocks when these are in a curved part of the course of travel of the conveyer chain whereas their side-walls positioned between adjacent holder blocks are clamped by the said blocks when entering a straighter part of the course.

8. A box-making machine, comprising in combination a movable carrier having openings provided therein in which partially formed boxes having upstanding aps are contained, an endless conveyer travelling past said carrier and having a series of holders shaped to t the interior of the boxes, said openings being positioned, at one location in their path of travel, just opposite one of the holders of the conveyer, means for pushing the boxes out of said openings and on to said holders when at said location, and means at a preceding location in the said path of travel for turning inwardly the upstanding flaps of the boxes.

9. Abox-making machine, comprising in combination, a movable carrier having a box-receiving opening provided therein, means for depositing in said opening a partially formed box having two upstanding flaps succeeding one another in the direction of travel of said carrier, an endless travelling conveyer having a series of holders corresponding in shape to the interior of the box, opening being positioned, at one location in its path of travel, just opposite one of the holders of the conveyer, means for pushing the box out of said opening and on to said holder when at said location, and means at a preceding location in the said path of travel for folding inwardly the npstanding aps of the box, said folding means comprising a stationary plate for folding the foremost flap and a movable member adapted to engage the rear flap from behind for folding it into a position below the stationary folding plate.

10. In a box-making machine, the combination set forth in claim 9, and wherein the folding plate extends along the path of travel of the carrier so as to maintain the flaps in the folded position until reaching the position opposite a holder.

l1. In a box-making machine, the combination of an endless travellingcarrier having a series of box-receiving openings provided therein, means at one location in the course of said carrier for depositing partially formed boxes in the said openings, means at a second location in said course for bending inwardly flaps projecting from opposite walls of. the boxes, a series of holder blocks corresponding in shape to the interior of the boxes and inter-connected to an endless conveyer chain having a curved part of its course of travel immediately opposite a third location in the course of said carrier, means for stepwise moving said carrier and said chain in timed relation to one another, means at said third location in the course of the carrier for pushing succeeding boxes out of the openings and sliding them on to opposite holder blocks, means for pressing two opposite side-walls of the boxes against the holder blocks carrying the same, and means at a curved part of said chain for stripping the boxes off said holder blocks.

12. In a box-making machine, the combination set forth in claim ll, and wherein a plurality of endless carriers and conveyer chains with appendant means Vare arranged side by side and movable in unison, each carrier consisting of av rotatable drum having ar series vof equi-distant box-receiving openings round its circumference.

13. In a box-making machine, the combination 7.5y

of a movable box transfer device having pockets provided therein for the boxes, a conveyer movable in timed relation to said transfer device and comprising a plurality of holders each shaped to t the interior of a box, means for removing the boxes from said pockets and sliding them on to said holders, and means for pressing two opposite sidefwalls of. the boxes against the holders carrying the same.

14. A box-making machine, comprising in combination, a box transfer device having openings provided therein corresponding in shape to that of the boxes, a travelling conveyer having a plurality of holders shaped to t the interior of the boxes, and a reciprocating pusher adapted to engage the outer side of the bottom of boxes contained in the openings so as to expel the same from the openings, the transfer device and the conveyer being movable by steps in timed relation to one another and adapted, at one location in their paths of travel, to coincide with one of their openings and holders, respectively, so as to enable a direct delivery of a box from the transfer device to the conveyer.

15. Abox-making machine, comprising in combination, a stepwise rotatable drum having box receiving openings round its circumference, a

box-iolding mechanism comprising a reciprocating folding-plunger adapted to deposit the boxes in said openings when at rest in a receiving position opposite the plunger, a series of holder blocks corresponding in shape to the interior of the boxes and interconnected to an endless conveyer chain movable past said drum in timed relation thereto and having, when at rest, one of the blocks located just opposite a delivery position of the openings in said drum, and a reciprocating pusher located within the drum opposite said delivery position and movable into and out of the openings when in said position for successively pushing the boxes out of said drum While simultaneously sliding them on to the holder blocks.

16. In a box-making machine, the combination set forth in claim 11, and wherein said means for stripping the boxes off the holder blocks comprise a pair of stripping claws capable of being moved into and out of a position in Which they embrace the holder blocks, and adapted to occupy said position during each forward step of the conveyer chain, said stripping claws being radially movable with respect to said chain.

PAUL WILHELM DIETMANN. 

